A Predator's Soul
by Amaunet85
Summary: Sequel to A Predator's Spirit and A Predator's Heart. Follow the children of El'is as they go to war. Rated T for violence.
1. Chapter 1

(( A/N: Well, here it finally is

(( A/N: Well, here it finally is. Took me long enough. I've been trying to write other things in between, but they haven't really worked out well. So I figured I'd give APS another go. Enjoy!))

_Chapter One._

"Dad? Are you okay?"

The voice seemed to come from far. Sitting on the stone cold floor, he had been staring at the tomb again. He missed her so much, his heart ached. He spend most of his free time here now. He was glad it was no longer expected of him to run the army. Without her by his side, he couldn't have done it anyway.

The reasons they had done it for were what worried his sons. He would just zone out, no matter the situation, and only snap out of it when he was ready to. It had nearly killed him several times, along with the teams that were with him at those times. So the council had generally taken away his responsibilities. Now he was retired. The only times he fought now was when his sons took him hunting.

It wasn't quite uncommon with Yautja that the remaining partner would simply crumble after their mate had been killed. F'gath still held his responsibilities, but he did take more free time for himself. Sometimes he joined Vi'can here, to simply remember her. Though he had never said it aloud, Vi'can expected he had loved El'is in the same way he had, only he had never gotten her to love him back in the same way.

"We've got to go. Love you dad," the voice said again. Vi'can blinked and slowly snapped out of it. He turned and saw both of his sons standing there. They were nearly warriors now. Despite only being thirteen years old, they had their trials today. They looked and behaved like fully grown adults already. The youth of the two had been anything but ordinary.

Yautja scientists had been startled when the twins grew thrice as fast, but even more so when it turned out they had the genetic memories of their mother. By the age of five, they were able to copy her every move, even though they created their own battle-style. The twins were extremely agile and faster than any Yautja alive. They were ready for the trials when they were eight years old, but weren't allowed as they were simply too young.

But now, despite being only thirteen, they had finally been allowed. They were rather excited, though as always, it saddened them that their father was in the state he was now. He missed their mother they knew and longed to be with her again.

"It's okay, dad," Ci'van said with a slight smile. "We can take care of ourselves. You can go to her."

"After today, we'll be adults. We'll take care of the house and the tomb," Co'vek agreed with a nod. "Go to her. I'm sure she's missed you just as much as you missed her."

Though that was a part the twins had kept hidden, they knew their mother had loved their father extremely much. She had not always made the right decisions, but she cared for him in the most similar way that he cared for her. They went over to their father, reaching down at the same time and gently stroking a tusk against Vi'can's cheek.

Vi'can blinked a moment. The boys rarely showed any emotion except to each other. He slowly rose to his feet and looked at his sons. Though he hadn't voiced it, he knew the boys knew how empty he felt and had felt for the last thirteen years. The twins meant the world to him, but without El'is, his heart just slowly died. He knew what they meant with go to her, but for a Yautja, suicide was about the worst crime one could commit.

"Don't worry about it, dad," Ci'van said with a smile. "Just let go."

Co'vek nodded to show his agreement. Vi'can frowned. Sometimes he had the feeling his sons knew a lot more than he did. He wished he could grasp what it was they saw and what it was they meant, but he had realised years ago that he was just not capable of getting to that level. He wanted to tell them how proud he was of them. It wasn't nothing that they could go on their trials at the age of thirteen.

"I love you," he said instead, blushing lightly. He had never spoken those words to anymore but his dear mate. The boys blinked a moment before grinning widely and pulling their father into a hug with them. On both sides of his head, he could hear an 'I love you too' being whispered. After a few seconds they broke apart again. "Good luck, my sons. I know you'll make me proud."

The twins nodded and backed away, smiling at their father.

"We'll bring back so many skulls, F'gath will need to expand our home to house them all," Ci'van said with a wink, before turning simultaneously with his twin and exiting the room. They grinned at one another as they heard their father chuckle, before turning serious.

"That was the last time we'll see him," Co'vek said quietly. He didn't need to look at his twin to know Ci'van knew it too.

"He won't be happy until he's with her again," Ci'van said.

"I know that, but all the lives…" Co'vek said with a sigh.

"It needs to be done. He won't do it himself. Besides, it will be needed if we ever want to avenge mother," Ci'van said, glancing sideways at his twin. "It's only roughly thirty Yautja. Aside from dad, they're all insignificant. A small price to pay for revenge."

"You know it won't just stay at that, Civ," Co'vek said. "Many more lives will be lost."

"But then we'll have a very long time of peace and glory. We've seen the same thing, brother," Ci'van said, waiting for a nod of his brother before looking forward again.

"I just don't know if we're ready for war yet," Co'vek admitted softly.

--

Standing in front of the window, the twins looked down on the planet where their trials would be. It was a warm planet, filled with jungles. The pyramid was positioned on top of a mountain, where the air was somewhat cooler. Though Yautja were known for their love of warm climates, the twins liked the cold. They remembered snowball-fights and snowmen being build, despite never having played in the snow. For the first time since this had been coming at them, they were nervous.

F'gath had told them that if they really wanted to prove themselves, they would have to do this on their own. Though they knew they were strong enough to make their kill with ease, they weren't comfortable leaving each other alone. Separating them had always been a disaster since they were babies. They would only be calm with each other.

"We'll be fine," Co'vek said, trying to sound braver than he felt. "We'll get our kill and join up again. Twenty minutes, tops."

Ci'van nodded slowly. They both knew it was going to take longer than that, but the idea that the time apart would be short was comforting to them both. Looking at his twin, it was easy to see the similarities. They were both tall for Yautja, despite not being fully grown yet. They were slender build, but stronger than most. Their dreads had the black colour of their fathers, but they had inherited their mothers blue eyes.

As children, they had often frightened the other children with those and been called demons. Though it made them feel alone back then, they found it amusing now. Demons would be the term humans would use for them, with their powers and everything. No one knew they spoke human fluently, and that they had inherited more than just their mothers agility. It was something they weren't going to share unless it was absolutely needed.

_Is'lon is looking at us again, _Co'vek said to his brother, though his tusks didn't make a sound. Though at first the transmission of thoughts and words had been random, they had slowly learned to control it. The further they were from each other though, the harder it became.

Ci'van looked at the window, noticing the reflection of Is'lon behind them. The youngster had been the one screaming loudest for the twins to be rejected. The boys agreed that he must be just afraid to be bested by thirteen years old. The twins didn't like the way he was looking at them though. It spelled trouble. Perhaps not now, but later.

_Should we tell him he's going to fail?_ Ci'van said, starting to grin. Co'vek tilted his head and turned slightly to look at his brother. Then his vision whirled and he saw what his brother had seen moments ago. He started to laugh, soon being joined by his brother. To Yautja, there were only few disgraces bigger than not making your kill in the Trials and still coming out alive. It meant you were a coward.

Though the twins knew it would not really be Is'lon's fault, if anything, it would be their fault, they still found it fun to know that the one that had been proclaiming his fantastic victory over all the xenomorphs would be the only one that failed. The irony of that did not escape them.

Their laughter died down when they started to descend towards the planets surface. Separation was at hand. Ci'van sighed, gently placing his hand on his brothers shoulder and giving it a squeeze. Co'vek mimicked him moments later.

"We had better get ready," he said. They turned and walked away from each other, all the while ignoring Is'lon. The youngster went over to the window and looked outside, trying to find what had been so amusing to the two. They were freaks, that was for sure. But if they made the Trials at this age with a greater kill than him, he would be disgraced. He needed to find a bigger kill in the pyramid than just a regular xenomorph.

Then it slowly dawned on him. He needed to capture the queen. But in order to do that, the queen would have to be set free first. He slowly started to grin. That was an easy enough task. Kill a xenomorph, acid the chains, let the queen run free and then capture her again. Why didn't he think of that before? It was so simple! He'd show those freaks. He's show them all that children should not be allowed in the Trials.


	2. Chapter 2

((A/N: Since I'm highly inspired for two fics atm (AvP and Symbiotes) I'll be writing one chapter per fic per time. So that means now this one, then that one and then this one again.

It's nice to see some regular faces amongst the reviewers.

Peya Luna; I thought about making him H'roth's brother, but that'd be a bit too much of a cliché I think XD You'll be amazed at the plans I've got for this fic. But I will betray one little thing. They are indeed going to war with humanity. ))

_Chapter Two._

Ci'van crouched low in the darkness. He closed his eyes behind his helmet and waited. He could sense them. His mother had had a similar ability, he remembered, but his was more refined. Perfectioned so to speak. They were coming to him. They sensed him too. He frowned slightly. That could be pro and a con at the same time. Though, if it was just xenomorphs that did this, it wouldn't be too bad. He knew xenomorphs were fast, but he knew he was faster.

In the back of his head, he could feel Co'vek. The calm and serenity his brother radiated ensured Ci'van's own calm. As long as he could feel his brother, he would be fine. A light hissing noise made him open his eyes. His helmet showed him the three xenormorphs that entered the space he was in. He slowly rose and grabbed his spear. The xenomorphs whirled at the sound as he extended the spear to its full length.

As soon as they jumped into the air to lunge at him, time slowed down. He ducked and moved out of the way, thrusting the spear through one of the xenomorphs. As he retracted it, time sped up again. Two xenomorphs crash-landed but got up immediately again. The third fell and remained down, the acid eating away at the rocks it was lying on. A sense of triumph washed over Ci'van. His first real kill. His father would be proud, even though he would never know what his sons would accomplish here.

The xenomorphs circled him. He waited patiently. Their black hides would make amazing trophies and he planned on using both of these to form an alternative kind of armour for himself. He and his brother had been discussing that. If only xenomorph hides were able to withstand their acid, then why not coat their armour with the skin? He grinned as time slowed down again.

The xenomorphs jumped at him in slow motion, and even though he himself didn't move at full speed either, he was more than quick enough. With two swift motions, he used the spear to cut off both their heads. Immediately time sped up again. The bodies and the heads fell down with heavy thuds. Ci'van folded up his spear and let it drop. He didn't want to put it back with his gear until the acid was done eating away at it.

He grabbed a small pocket-knife and started skinning the xenomorphs efficiently and quickly. He wondered how his brother was doing. He had earned his mark and would be taking his preys out the Pyramid with him in a few minutes. Before Is'lon messed everything up, hopefully. Though that would be the best trophy they could bring home. He already knew it would be them that righted Is'lon's mistake. The others simply weren't strong and fast enough.

In his head, he counted down the minutes until he and Co'vek were reunited again. He did not like this distance between himself and his brother. It nagged at him. He smiled softly as he felt a sense of comfort wash over him and knew that that was his brother trying to soothe him. He send a wave of emotion back over their link, so that Co'vek knew the gift was received and appreciated.

It was odd, really. When they were together, most of the time Co'vek would be the anxious and impatient one. But if they were apart, the roles would be reversed. Ci'van sighed, flexing his shoulders and focussed on his work. Once he was done, he took out the bag he had taken with him for this function. He put the stripped pieces of xenomorph into the bag, along with the two skulls. Lastly he broke a finger off the first xenomorph he killed, to mark himself later. As he started to move, he felt himself amused at the fact that he could feel Co'vek move too.

It wouldn't be the first time the two had acted exactly the same without knowing it. Despite the heavy bag, he made it to the entrance quite quickly. Only moments later his brother arrived, carrying a same kind of bag. They chuckled lightly, but it was forced. They both sensed the immense relief of being together again. The world seemed to fit again. They halted in front of each other, taking off their helmets to see each other's eyes.

"That went well," Co'vek said. "We only need to mark ourselves and we've made it."

Ci'van nodded. He grabbed the finger he took off his first kill and handed it to Co'vek as his brother gave him the finger of his own kill. Simultaneously, the two lightly brushed the finger against the others forehead. They kept themselves from wincing, despite feeling their own pain and the pain of the other. In a few moments, it was all over though.

Co'vek grinned broadly, handing Ci'van's finger back and taking his own. They marked their own helmets putting them on again. They looked at one another for almost a full minute, simply cherishing the mental bond that was so much stronger when they were this close to each other. They were each others greatest strength, but that also made them their weakness. They were dependant on each other. Today though, they had proven that they could function apart. The amount of stress it had given them, they would never reveal.

They headed for the exit and descended down the stairs, bags hanging over their shoulder and their helmets shining in the sun. They knew that the adults keeping an eye on them from the ship could see them well. They were adults now. And from what they could see, they were the first out of the pyramid. They grinned behind their helmets.

_They won't like this very much,_ Co'vek send over the link. _They already had a hard time agreeing to let us go with them in the first place._

_Well, we've more then proved that we were worth the change, just like mother. Only we won't be killed a full hybrid. We'll be capturing a queen,_ Ci'van send back. _That's why I want the bags down there safely. I don't want our future gear to look damaged right from the start._

Co'vek inclined his head just far enough so his brother could see he agreed. Ci'van felt the excitement in his brother, and he knew it was mirrored in himself. They had never gone after a queen before. Not even their mother had captured a queen. They could understand why. After killing a hybrid, a queen would just seem like a lot less honour full.

As they reached the bottom of the steps, they could hear an immense roaring behind them and the sounds of Yautja guns being fired. They themselves hadn't even had to use those, but against the queen, they might have to. They dropped their bags and turned around, running back up the stairs. Now the real fun would begin.

Halfway up, Is'lon came flying over their heads. Judging by the amount of bright green on him, he had sustained many injuries. They didn't have to ask what had flung him into the air. They knew, but even then, it was an impressive sight to see the xenomorph queen appear at the top of the stairs. It was injured here and there, acid drops eating away at the stone under her feet. She roared in anger and the twins were surprised at how strongly they felt her emotions.

They hadn't expected the bond between themselves and a queen to be so strong. They glanced at each other for a moment, then cut the link. If the link was too strong, she might start to order them around. And they could not afford that. Shielding their minds kept her out, but also each other. Still, they moved symmetrical, each moving to a side to flank the queen. Their prey had spotted them now, and was stomping down the stairs to meet them.

A single second the brothers hesitated. To attack, or to just capture her right away? They didn't quite know which would held the most honour. They wanted to make their, probably already late now, father proud. And their mother. They knew their mother was proud of them no matter what they did, but they wanted to earn it too. They decided to go with the quick capture though. Waiting too long could mean injuries and they needed to be fit for the war that was to come.

They reached behind their backs, and pulled out the net-spears. They stuck them into their canons. The queen roared again. This time, the twins stopped in their tracks and roared back. The queen stopped walking towards them and tilted her head slightly. She heard her own species in those roars. The twins grinned and fired their guns. Before she knew what was going on, the queen was covered in the two nets.

The twins didn't hesitate this time, quickly grabbing their wire-like rope and jumping on top of the queen, tying her up. At the bottom of the stairs, Is'lon had scrambled up, despite some bones definitely pointing into a different direction than they should. He could see the twins handiwork. The brothers could feel his hatred, strong as it was now. They had righted his mistake and took the honour of capturing a queen. Not that he would have had any chance, but that was something the youngster would never admit.

The shuttle that had brought them to the planet was setting down. They had mastered the situation. Now it was time to get credit for that. A roar came from the top of the stairs, where the fourth and final youngster emerged. The twins answered the roar, feeling rather proud of themselves, despite having known what would happen. The last Youngster descended down the stairs, halting near the twins. The queen was wriggling, but the wires held her tight. They had taken care not to let them come in contact with any of her wounds. She would've bled right through them then.

The adults emerged from the shuttle now, not wearing their helmets. That was peculiar, as usually this was an official happening, to welcome the new adults into the race. Co'vek tensed. He knew what he was about to be told, but he did not know if he was ready to hear it. Ci'van reached out and placed a hand on his brothers shoulder. He felt the same way. As the adults reached Is'lon, they beckoned the other three to come down. The twins checked the wires on the queen one more time before descending.

"Well done, great job, well done," one of the adults, S'pihk said. He had been one of the twins trainer. But despite trying to smile, he looked tense and shocked. He didn't even seem to realise he said the same thing twice. "We'll get her back inside. We have to tell you something."

"An hour ago, there was an explosion at your mothers training centre," G'vel said. He had taught them how to wield their weapons. Face set in stone, he obviously had more experience conveying messages like this. "Thirty Yautja died, amongst them the class that had been in training, but… also your father."

The twins swallowed simultaneously. They felt tears sting their eyes. Knowing it was something. Knowing it was done was quite something else. Co'vek slowly sank to his knees. Ci'van squeezed his shoulder tightly, looking at his brother before looking back at G'vel.

"We don't know who it was yet," the warrior said slowly. "The satellites didn't pick anything up."

"Take us to F'gath," Co'vek spoke, forcing himself up again. It was time they revealed to their race where the attack had come from. Ci'van looked at him a moment before nodding. "They're looking into the wrong direction."

F'gath partly knew about their powers. He would listen when they spoke. In order to have a war, they would have to prove that it was indeed the humans that did it. Ci'van quickly grabbed both their bags before pulling his brother to his feet. G'vel suppressed a shudder. He always had the feeling these boys knew more about things than they let on. But they were bright, and if they really knew in what direction to look…

"We'll take you there right away," he promised, ushering them all to the shuttle.


	3. Chapter 3

((A/N: Peya Luna, it's always such a delight to read your reviews . They make me smile a lot, and often give me new ideas too. So I hereby dedicate this chapter to you.

At first I thought about doing a sort of crossover with Stargate in this chapter, but I'm glad I found a way to not have to do that XD ))

_Chapter Three._

It wasn't an unusual sight to see the twins walk around in the nerve centre of Yautja society. It was however unusual that they were being tailed by several officers and generals. No one really knew what had happened, and the twins seemed to know. Their gifts often frightened their people, but they were respected for them.

For the longest moment F'gath looked at them when they entered. He did not know whether to congratulate them on becoming full adults, give them his condolences on their father's death, or ask right away what they knew. It was an awkward situation. Had it been El'is, he would've simply pulled her into his arms and held her tight. But these two were far from like El'is. They had her talents, but they were so different in personality.

"It's okay, gramps," Co'vek said quickly. "We know what happened. He's with mum now, so I'm sure he's a lot happier than he was while still being here."

Several of the present Yautja frowned. They knew how much Vi'can had loved his mate, but the way his son talked about it, it seemed like they were already fully at peace with it. F'gath knew that to be true though. The fact that they knew where to look was prove that they had seen this coming. Part of him was enraged at the fact that they didn't warn him or any other Yautja, but having seen Vi'can get worse and worse over the last thirteen years, he couldn't help but understand.

"You're right. They're together again," F'gath said with a nod, then turned to the hologram of the planet. "I heard you two can shed some light into the situation?"

"They're hiding behind Nimn," Ci'van said, gesturing towards one of the planets moons. "They arrived by wormhole. They don't quite know how unstable those are yet. But humans only research such things when it's gone terribly wrong."

"They've developed a way of short-distance teleporting," Co'vek continued. "It eats a lot of power and it renders their ship helpless for over an hour each time they teleport, but it was effective enough to bring a small bomb here to try."

"They want to bring a nuke next," Ci'van said. Though the present Yautja already didn't look very comfortable, they now also looked confused. "They make it with an Earthen element called uranium. Long story short, they try to split atoms and because it goes horribly wrong, they put it in a bomb."

"We can't stop them from bringing the nuke. They're already starting the teleportation process, but while we diffuse it, you can try and capture their ship," Co'vek said.

"You know how to do that?" F'gath asked, not all that disturbed by the fact the twins knew all this. By the amount of details they told, they had probably known for a bit already. He no longer found it unnerving, as he had seen them grow up and do impossible things all the time. It was the main reason most of the Elders let the interaction with the two go via F'gath.

The twins nodded. They knew they were taking an extremely dangerous gamble here. They didn't exactly know how to diffuse it. But they had seen themselves do it. As long as they remembered that, they should be able to. If they told F'gath that, he'd never let them go. They were all the family the Elder had left now. F'gath nodded slowly in return before turning to the generals and other Elders in the room.

"Well, you heard the boys. The other side of Nimn," he said. "Do what you want with the humans, but leave the ship intact. We need to know what technology they use exactly."

More orders were relayed, but no one questioned the twins. When their gift had just begun, the two had been overwhelmed by it. They would feel it their responsibility to save everyone they saw, from babies accidentally falling to warriors battling and losing. Those days, the two had spend many a night crying into their fathers arms, until they had learn to control it. They could get visions now when they want to, and the most important ones would come through anyway.

For the same overwhelmed reaction, they had learned how to block mind reading. The only ones they left in their minds now were themselves. They had no secrets from each other. In school, they had used their power to answer the questions to the tests they had to make. Vi'can had seethed when he found out, though he had to give them credit on originality. If not for them telling him, he never would've believed it.

"Gramps, we need to go," Co'vek said, gaining F'gath's attention. They had called him that since they were infants. He had not always liked it, as he did not feel that old, but with everything that was happening now, feeling old was practically all he could do. Especially with these two around.

"Be careful," he cautioned with an inclination of his head. The twins felt and saw his worry. When El'is first arrived here, their grandfather had had to get used to her presence, no longer being alone in his home. Now, he could not imagine his life without others in his house anymore. They were his legacy, he had helped shape them.

The twins turned and left the room, before heading outside. They knew where to go. They had to be there in about four minutes, which gave them plenty of time. The humans would not expect anyone to come at all, let alone in time to deactivate the bomb. They strolled at ease, not wanting to cause panic. The small bomb earlier that day had already caused more than enough of that.

Co'vek swallowed his tears, his shoulders tensing. He could not grief yet. He knew his father had to be happier where he was now than he had been here, but that didn't mean he didn't miss him. Vi'can had been a warm father, especially for a Yautja. Ci'van, noticing his brothers mood dropping, placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Tonight, on the ship," he said quietly. "Then we'll remember him."

Co'vek nodded, swallowing again before pulling himself together. He knew his brother was feeling the same hurt he was, but Ci'van had always been more composed in public than his twin. Co'vek found he could not always hide his emotions as well as his brother. He remembered a phrase from his mothers world. He was only human. The thought of that saying amused him. Only the tiniest part of him was human. But apparently, it was enough.

A minute later, they arrived at the spot. In an alley between two of the tall bird-like buildings, the bomb was positioned in the shadows. A cloth had been thrown over it to hide it more. Pulling that off, the twins looked at the bomb. The humans called this thing very complex. Sure, it had become more technically advanced, but it was nowhere near as advanced as any of the Yautja weapons. Humans had always been good at underestimating their foes.

Systematically, they opened the control panel and got to work. Once the outside plating was off, they looked at the wires inside. Both focussed, recalling the vision they had. The world blurred around them and they had the sense of floating as they looked down on themselves. Their forms were standing in front of the bomb, trying to decide what wire to cut. They nodded to each other before snipping the blue wire. The bomb lit up a moment before dying, the humming stopping.

The world blurred around them again, faster this time, and they were standing next to the bomb again. They looked at each other before Co'vek held up the blue wire. With the end of his wristblades, Ci'van cut it. Just like in their vision, it lit up for a moment before it deactivated. Despite knowing it was going to be alright anyway, the twins sighed in relief. There was always a chance their vision was wrong.

Lifting the bomb between them, the two walked back to the pyramid. F'gath would probably know what to do with it. Then again, he might not be happy if they brought an incredibly destructive bomb into the nerve centre of Yautja society. Ci'van activated the com-link in his helmet, contacting the base.

"It's deactivated, but not harmless. It needs to be detonated somewhere where the radiation won't do much damage," he told the general on the other side. He received the orders to wait for a pickup to arrive. That would take the bomb from them and take it somewhere safe.

"What additional weapons are you taking along?" Ci'van asked Co'vek once he closed the com-link. "Mum always said that being prepared is half the battle."

"Combistaff, speargun, smartdiscs.. Probably a lot of those. Humans aren't very fast," Co'vek said. "We can create our additional armour on the way over there. Perhaps also do something that'll make our wrist-units waterproof. So far that's always been one of our weaknesses."

"And Earth has plenty of water," Ci'van agreed. "But weren't we going to Mars first?"

"The Red Planet. Yes," Co'vek said. "But we need to be prepared for the entire war. Not just the first wave."

Ci'van nodded. His brother was right. It would take some work, but they would be fully prepared for just about anything once they arrived at the Earthen solar system. All this for finally avenging their mother. They had to be patient just a little bit longer though. They already knew what he looked like. But it had to be honour full and he had to know who they were and why he would die.

"Perhaps we can take one of those cat things back with us," Co'vek mused. "Mum missed those while she was here. Apparently they're very cuddly. M'rids youngest series of pups should love them."

Ci'van chuckled, just as they saw the transport come around a corner. The vehicle moved fast, but steady until it stopped before them. Three warrior-Yautja exited it. As two started carrying the bomb, the twin quickly briefed the third in what the bomb was capable of and why they should be overly cautious with it.

"What's going to happen to it?" Ci'van asked when they were about to drive off again.

"We're taking it with us on our way over there," the Yautja replied. "Drop it on their own heads, see if they like it."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: oh my, it's been a hell long time since I wrote on this fic. As I said in my Symbiotes fic, I'm so, so sorry. Real life intervened with my writing, along with a big writer's block. Together with reading a lot of Alien, Predator and AvP comics, I've finally gotten my inspiration back for this fic too =) ))

Ci'van and Co'vek listened patiently to F'gath as he relayed the plan with the nuke to the other Elders. To be present here was a true privilege the boys knew, but they had earned the right by warning them about the nuke in the first place. And by diffusing it.

"We haven't been to their world for many years. We've let them live in peace. With two attacks now, they've tried to start a war. I saw we give them one," F'gath said, looking at the Elders one by one. Each of them was a respect warrior. Each of them understood honour. There was no doubt that they understood revenge as well.

"We do not know why they have done it. If they have done it. All we know is that the weapon is of human manufacture," S'phik said, gesturing at the twins as he mentioned them.

"Pardon my intrusion, respected Elders," Ci'van began, looking at the Elders and making sure they had their full attention.

"We agree that we can not go to war before we know for sure that the humans did indeed do this. What me and my brother have seen is no scientific proof," Co'vek continued.

"So we would like to go to Earth to find out, along with a recon-team, to find out what's really going on," Ci'van finished. They kept their amusement to themselves. It always unnerved anyone they spoke to if they spoke as one. They understood, but there was a need to shock them. If the twins stunned them with their abilities, the Elders might forget that they were only thirteen years old.

The Elders looked at one another. They knew that if they weren't to go to war immediately, a recon mission would be necessary. But were the boys ready for it? Looks that said more than words passed between the Elders, before the silence was broken after several minutes.

"I vote in favour of that idea," G'vel said with a nod. "They are warriors now. And their… gifts… will help them unravel the reasons behind this attack."

"But they need supervision," D'rod said, getting agreeing nods from around the table they sat at.

"With your permission, I'll provide their supervision," F'gath said, eyening the boys. He knew them well enough to know that they had to be planning something. They would never volunteer for such a far away mission right after their father had died unless they had something in mind. The other Elders muttered their shock, mentioning that he was the leader of the army.

"All the more reason for me to see what we're up against at close range, no?" F'gath said at that. He wasn't going to let those boys head out there alone, nor with someone other than himself. He didn't trust anyone else with their safety. "With the information I can gather, if we do go to war, we'll have all the information on their weapons and defences we might need."

_He sounds really determined. We didn't see this,_ Co'vek shared with his brother. They already knew they would be allowed to go. They hadn't expected their grandfather to go along with them. They didn't like having him in danger anymore than F'gath liked them there.

_We'll just have to look after him. At least he'll understand our reasons,_ Ci'van replied, actually feeling reassured by the fact F'gath would be joining them. He had experience the twins lacked, and he knew about most of the twins' gifts, so if they had premonitions, he was more likely to accept it than others.

_I didn't see him return with us,_ Co'vek said, his voice sounding very tense in Ci'van's head. He didn't want to let F'gath join them if it meant losing their own relative. It would be like losing another father.

_You also didn't see him -not- return with us_, Ci'van replied. The bond told his twin he had the same worries, but also the hope he held that their grandfather would make it back with them.

"Then it is decided," G'vel said, rousing the twins from their telepathic conversation. "F'gath will accompany Ci'van and Co'vek on a recon mission to the human world. I will be expecting reports every other day, and daily if possible."

"Aye," F'gath confirmed with a nod, rising along with the rest of the Elders. With this, the meeting had ended. He gestured the twins to follow him as he left the room. Without hesitation, they did. He knew that despite their gifts and talents, they couldn't possibly be fully prepared for such a mission. He didn't speak until they had left the pyramid though, and had returned to their own home.

"I will listen to your opinions, but once we're out there, I want you to obey my orders. Is that understood?" the Elder said, looking at each twin intently until he received a nod. "Then now, will you tell me what your intentions are?"

Co'vek smirked a little at that. The old man was smarter than most. Or maybe it was just because he knew them very well. Their fathers state being what it had been, he had done most of the raising after all. He glanced at his brother, seeing the same proud look on his face. Though they wouldn't appreciate others knowing them this well, it was nice to know that aside from themselves there was at least one person who knew them this well.

"Revenge," Co'vek said simply.

"For killing mother, for tearing down father's mental well-being, and for father's death," Ci'van added with a nod.

"Did you know what would happen?" F'gath asked pointedly, putting his hands on his hips. The way the boys had known most of what was happening, there might be a chance that they actually knew it before it actually happened. If they had known…

"Yes," Ci'van admitted, looking at his feet before looking F'gath straight in the eyes. His mandibles twitched, their grandfather was angry. And with good reason.

"We couldn't stand by and watch him deteriorate further," Co'vek said, moving forwards a little to shield his brother. Ci'van had always been the softer one, the one who's conscience would play up at things like this. Co'vek was harder than that. "You know as well as we do that father would never have taken his own life. He would just fade away further, and in the end, he would realise that he had been neglecting his duties, and he would have died in shame."

"Now, he was able to let go of life with full honour, and still reunite with our mother," Ci'van added softly. "It was not an easy choice. Don't ever think that. But his happiness and the chance for revenge are worth it. You want to avenge mother too, don't you?"

F'gath grimaced. They hit a sore spot there. He had never been able to hunt down El'is killer, because they had to leave right away. And after that, he had had to take care of the twins. There hadn't been the opportunity and time to return to Earth and get payback.

"Yes," he admitted, his dreads whirling through the air as he turned his head away. He didn't like admitting it, didn't like admitting that he understood - and agreed - with their want for revenge.

"Then help us get revenge," Co'vek said, putting a hand on his grandfather's shoulder. "Help us avenge mother, father. Help us win the war."

"You already know it will be war?" F'gath exclaimed, his head snapping back to look the twin straight in the eyes.

"That is what this will eventually lead to," Ci'van says with a nod. "A full war between our species. They will know the price of killing what's important to us."

F'gath observed the twins. They seemed too eager for this, despite knowing that many lives would be lost in the process of their revenge. For a moment, he doubted their sanity. But he knew how bright the boys were and how much they loved their parents, despite never having met their mother. He slowly nodded.

"Then let's give them hell," he said, putting his hand on a shoulder of each twin. He threw his head back and roared, soon joined by the twins.


	5. Chapter 5

I always hated people leaving cliff-hangers. And though I did intend to leave you with one, I do swear it's never been my intention to leave you with one for nearly two years.

Skar'ku-impossible-to-write-out-fully; thanks for your kind words =) I'll do my best to be a more loyal writer XD

Teshy; I haven't read the books, but over time, I have read all the comics. They're very awesome. I love how the first omnibus continues on from where the first Predator movie leaves us.

HLPS; (am I right in assuming you're Everlasting? =) ) I'll try my best to update more regularly.

And now, without further ado; the next chapter of A Predator's Soul! I hope you'll enjoy it! And I'm really sorry for the delay! Also; sorry for the typo's . Re-reading stuff, I found quite a bit of them XD ))

Ci'van sat quietly in the tree F'gath had ordered him up into. It was so odd to be on Earth, the planet where his mother had been born. Through her memories, he knew a lot about it and its history, knew how to speak multiple languages on its mostly watery surface fluently and understood the way humans thought. It had taken them a few weeks to fully prepare and make the trip, but now they were finally here.

The human ship that had send the bomb to their home-planet had been captured, the residents killed and the wormhole was under constant surveillance. Their planet would be safe from attack, for the time being. No doubt the humans had figured out by now that something had gone wrong - either with the bomb, or with the ship, or with the retaliation. Which in turn meant that he, his brother and his grandfather would have to hurry up and find out what the humans were planning. And what their current level of technology was.

Most of which they already knew - or at least, they had seen enough to know what to use to have their people go to war. But they needed proof to show how vital it was that they'd wipe out humanity. When this had started as a way to find revenge, they had known the Yautja and the humans would rage war with each other. The entire scope of it had escaped them then. F'gath had been angry with them when they finally admitted as much. All of this could have been avoided had they just stopped that first explosion. The one that killed their father.

Ci'van felt a wave of comfort flow through his mind and he smiled behind his mask. He wasn't alone in these feelings, this insecurity. Co'vek was the same. The two of them shared the same burden. Ci'van was foolish to forget that for even a minute.

_Do not lose focus of our goal. I still say it's worth it. Don't lose sight of why you're up in that tree though_, Co'vek admonished him. Ci'van kept from chuckling. His brother was right. With all the things going on in his mind, he had almost forgotten what he was here to do. He changed the sight on his visor, looking over the fence and towards the heavily guarded building standing on what they knew to be an army-base.

It had taken them some effort, but between their ship's scanners and the twins' talents they had located the place where the spaceship had been send from. There were a bunch of them scattered throughout the base. All of which very inferior to their own ship. It was quite amazing it had been fit to fly - let alone survive a wormhole. It had been thirteen years since they had last been in contact with humanity - the Yautja hadn't been here since the day the twins' mother had died.

But if humanity had managed a ship that could travel through a wormhole in between then and now, there was the distinct risk that they had build something or other in the form of weapons. They had still believed the nuclear bomb was the best way to go, but maybe that had just been a warning. Maybe they had something far more powerful now. The twins didn't know - they hadn't seen it. They knew that the ability the humans had developed to forcibly open a wormhole was enough to start the war - it was dangerous and if a wormhole went out of control, it could swallow entire planets.

_Exciting, isn't it?_ Co'vek said in his mind, having followed the new train of thought. It didn't happen all that often that something important wasn't shown to them through their visions. It was scary and unnerving. But he agreed that it was fun to not know what they would find here. He watched as two of the humans met up near the gate, talking a few moments before the one that had been walking back and forth went to the barracks and the new one took up the boring job.

_The guard changed. Let's go_, he said to his brother, jumping over the fence effortlessly. The guard turned, but as Ci'van had his cloaking on didn't see anything. He frowned, reaching into his pocket for something. Ci'van didn't give him the time. He covered the man's mouth and nose with a hand, his other hand wrapping around his throat and cutting off his breathing. Two soft thumps behind him told him F'gath and Co'vek had entered the base as well. He kept his attention on his victim as he squirmed, his hands grabbing the invisible arm and trying to get it off. But the squirming generally subsided. Ci'van didn't let go until the man's heart had stopped beating. Hiding him behind one of the buildings, he turned back to where his two comrades were.

"That should buy us some time," he said softly, receiving a nod of approval from his grandfather. F'gath took the lead, leading them around the buildings carefully. They observed the main building together. It would be easiest to kill the guards up front and then just sneak in. But if anyone were to look at the building, the absence of the guards would be quickly noted and they wouldn't be able to snoop around properly.

"The window," Co'vek whispered, pointing towards the object in question. It was open a crack. Not enough to squeeze through by all means, but if they could open it completely, they would be able to enter through that and the guards would be none the wiser. After a moment's hesitation, F'gath approached the building. The rocks the humans used to building their houses made it easy to scale them. Once their grandfather reached the glass, he looked inside.

A moment later, he gave them the signal for silence, then pulled open the window further. The twins saw him disappear into the building, before they signalled to one another to take the lead. They shared a moment of amusement before they both started to climb the building. Ci'van entered through the window first, quickly followed by his twin, who set the window back to the crack it had been before. They looked around a moment, finding their grandfather suffocating a man that was sitting at his desk.

Ci'van tilted his head. It wasn't like his grandfather to choke someone. Gory, bloody kills were more his forte. And here in the building, it didn't really matter what they did. In the end, they'd likely be discovered - one would, when important weapons disappeared of the stands they had been set on - and would fight their way out.

"This will give us more time," F'gath said after the vitals of the man had showed he was no longer in the realm of the living. He shrugged when he saw the quizzical looks the twins gave him. "It's his own fault for sleeping on the job."

Co'vek chuckled softly, giving a nod before heading to the door. He checked the hallways through a number of the sights his visor allowed him, before opening the door and slipping into the cramped walk-way. It was then that he realized how open and wide the buildings on their homeworld were. This made him feel cramped. Especially with two equally large and bulky men around him. A little push in his back made him move forwards. They roughly knew where they were supposed to go. The building was built in a U-shape, with a series of smaller offices on the outside ring. In the middle of it, the humans had built a garden, but scans had shown that underground, there were more levels. What they were searching for was likely hidden there.

Despite their cloaking, they were careful of the camera's hanging on every wall. If humanity could learn how to build spaceships in thirteen years, who knew what else they had done? They descended the emergency staircases when they got to them. The other way down had been an elevator, and a seemingly empty elevator would no doubt look suspicious. Doors opening and closing with no one there was too, of course, but it might be less likely to be seen.

One floor below ground-level, they emerged into more narrow hallways, but when they looked around the corner towards the middle of the building, where the garden would be a level higher, they realized they were in the right place. Two guards stood to attention next to the door to the area, wearing armour unlike what they had seen humans wear before. Everything about them was covered, and they had these strange goggles on. F'gath gave them a signal to be cautious, before approaching the two men slowly. One step behind him the twins followed. As one, the two men turned to them and the three Yautja stopped. They had been silent and still. They could hear no one else approach. Then, the two men grabbed their guns and opened fire on them. It was then that they realised in horror that humans had developed a way to see through their cloaking.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Dun dun dunnnnnn! That was mean of me, wasn't it? XD But, for putting up with me, I'm giving you this chapter a lot quicker than I gave you my last! (Though that's not very hard, I admit)

HLPS; thanks for your kinds words =D Assuming life lets me, I'll try to update every few weeks at the latest. =) This one is for you!

Also; on an unrelated side-note; the soundtrack of The Dark Knight Rises makes for very good writing 3 I just -adore- Hans Zimmer

Also; I'm thinking about re-writing APSpirit, to give more clarity on what exactly happened. The end-result would still be the same, mind you, but please give me your two cents on that, it'd be much appreciated. ))

Ci'van grabbed F'gath, pulling him backwards and around the corner from which they came. He knew that underneath their facial masks, his grandfather would look as shocked as he felt. Their cloaking had always been their greatest advantages. If they went to this war without it, a lot more good warriors would fall. Granted, humanity would still stand little chance against them, but.. Perhaps dropping a bomb on the planet would be better… But even as he thought it, he knew the Council would never agree - it would be a cowards' act.

His eyes widened as he realized the gunfire had continued - and that Co'vek hadn't joined them. He swallowed, releasing his grandfather and scrambling up. Then, the gunfire stopped. Dread filled him, until he remembered that if his brother was dead, he'd surely feel it. He looked around the corner, then stepped into the hallway. There, covered in red blood and his own bright green blood, Co'vek stood panting. Behind his mask, Ci'van was sure there was a look of pure disgust as he stared down at the two corpses. The kills had been messy, judging by the spear sticking out of one and tell-tale signs of the wristblades across the other man's jugular.

"Coast is clear," Co'vek said needlessly, kneeling next to the corpses to inspect and take their gear. It would be a tremendous help in the upcoming war. He retracted his spear and put it away, then stored both the goggles and the weapons in his pack.

"The shooting, and most likely they themselves, must have alerted the others. We should get moving," F'gath said. "Are you fit to continue?"

"It's just a scratch. I'll use their cloth to tie it so the blood will leave no trail," Co'vek said, Ci'van already tearing the sleeve off one of the soldier's uniforms and tying that around the wound on Co'vek's shoulder. "Or Civ will."

He let out a dry chuckle, but the other two didn't share his humour in the gravity of the situation. He sighed, not liking the whole seriousness of it all. This was supposed to be an adventure! Sure they had just discovered that humanity could pose a serious problem, but it was thrilling, and nothing had ever managed to mark him before - he couldn't help but be excited.

The three headed past the corpses and into the room they had been guarding, shouldercanons at the ready. They switched between their different visors, making sure there was no immediate threat before proceeding. The room they entered was empty of people, but the sights they saw were enough to hold them in place.

Spread out across a big conference table in the middle of the room were a bunch of starmaps and pictures. On the wall opposite them were pictures of several planets, some of which the boys recognized, but it was that of their own homeworld that had them stumped. Ci'van grimaced, then stepped into the room, using his visor to start recording anything and everything. This was exactly the evidence they needed to start their war.

Co'vek in the mean time moved to the table with F'gath, reading the maps and trying to figure out what humanity was up to. The information they held was detailed, exact. Humanity hadn't done much in the form of space-travel since F'gath had left this planet, and it was highly improbable that this would have changed so quickly.

"The intel, the weapons, the gear…" F'gath muttered, moving his hands through the papers and randomly pulling ones that looked interesting out. He looked at his grandsons, wondering how much of this they had perceived, but they had been just as shocked as he was. It made him worry all the more though - they knew about the war and were working actively to make it happen, but they didn't seem to have the vaguest idea what it all would entail, what kind of damage would be done, how many lives would be lost. "Humanity can't have done this on its own."

The twins' movements halted as they turned to face their grandfather. Ci'van's visor was still recording what he was looking at, and it was to that that F'gath turned, knowing his words would be included with the video the boy would send to the Council. F'gath took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. El'is had often told him to do just that if he felt his nerves would get the better of him.

"I fear we will have to face the possibility that humanity has made contact with another race, and has been receiving help with their space-program," he said gravely, leaning on the table with his fists. He glanced down at the papers, very glad El'is had taught him how to read the human language all those years ago. How he missed her.. She would know what to do, how to act, what to think. She would know what humanity was up to. He missed her gentle guidance. He shook his head, his black dreads moving through the air a moment before settling around his shoulders.

"We all know that there are only a few races capable of a proper space-program, and even fewer that are advanced enough to aid another race up to this level," he told the camera, then gestured at the paper. "But they're smart. I do not see their names anywhere. Not here, at least. The source of their technology must lie elsewhere. We'll have to find it, before anything else unpredictable happens."

With the word 'unpredictable', he looked from one twin to the other a moment, causing the boys to stiffen. Ci'van discontinued the video, then let out a long breath. They knew they would have to talk some time, but now really wasn't the time for it. F'gath gave them a handsignal that meant he basically thought the same. With all their training and all the things they had learned in their thirteen short years in existence, other intelligent races really hadn't been a part of it.

Activating their cloaking - hoping it would be of some use yet - the three Yautja filed out of the room, carefully making their way to the stairs. It took only a glance to see that the elevator was heading down. It was beyond time to be gone, the twins realized. They slipped past the doors to the stairs just as the elevator dinged its arrival. They didn't get to relax though, as from upstairs they could hear the pounds of heavy footsteps.

F'gath cursed under his breath. This would get ugly soon. And if their luck hadn't changed, the soldiers would be able to see them just like the others had. He had known this mission was going far too smooth when they had entered the base. Why hadn't he pulled out then, when they still had the chance? The twins were all he had left from his surrogate daughter… He couldn't lose them. He signaled them, telling them to attack in full and hold nothing back. It was their best chance of survival. As good and powerful as the twins were, they were still just children, no matter the tests they had accomplished or alien queen they had captured.

He practically felt the surprise at his signal. Children. They wanted war, but weren't prepared for it. He grimaced behind his facial mask, then started up the stairs, taking the lead. Co'vek was already injured, and though the youngster hadn't complained, F'gath knew it wouldn't be all that long until he did. And he didn't want either of the boys hurt at all, if he could help it. Besides, he was the senior here, the warrior. He had dealt with a predalien of all things. He could handle a few puny humans.

He activated his shouldergun, firing up without regard of who he was firing at. The times for pleasantries were over and now was not the time for a hunt. Finesse didn't matter in cases like this. Not even honour, though he regretted that. The men now calling out in surprise above him, the cries of hurt and pain they let out, it wasn't honourless, at least. They were armed, and thus had a chance to fight. That they would die before they did was not F'gath's responsibility. He pounded up the stairs, using his hearing to keep track of his grandchildren, who were - thank the Deity - following him as good boys should.

It didn't take long before the humans started firing back, but by then, F'gath had already reached them. He extended his claws, slicing through the jugular of the first man he met, then drove the blades into the belly of the second. Cries of surprise and of the dying now filled the hallway, especially when the twins joined in and blasted two of the soldiers straight in the chest.

"We've no time to play," F'gath reminded them, taking a quick glance about them to make sure the immediate threat was over before continuing up the stairs. The twins hesitated a moment, then followed.

It didn't sit well with Ci'van that despite all their instincts, they weren't prepared for this the way their grandfather seemed to be. F'gath knew what to do, was leading them. Had this happened to him and Co'vek alone, he knew he would've panicked. A wave of soothing emotions flowed over the bond with his twin, along with a sense of urgency, a message to have him keep his head on the task at hand. He checked his shouldergun, but the weapon was still far from overheating. He switched through his visors, his fingers gliding along his belt to check his other gear. He had never felt this nervous, despite his best efforts not to, and despite Co'vek telling him it would all be alright.

Reaching the designated floor, F'gath didn't pause as he kicked open the door and darted into the hallway, taking barely a moment to identify a target before firing at it. Despite how urgent the situation was, the twins couldn't get themselves to kill that easily. Their mother, their father, they had raised them with honour, to treat kills equally, properly. To not attack until someone had proven themselves a worthy target. This, this wasn't like that at all. Even if the humans had new technology, it was like taking pigs to the slaughter, as the human saying went.

F'gath led them out of the building, heading for the exit of the base at a run, forcing the twins to run after him. For a moment, they wondered why the tactic had changed now that they were out in the open, but then bullets were flying their way. Co'vek stumbled, the only sign he gave that something had hit him, but Ci'van felt it in his mind. His heart raced, and he wanted to turn back, care for his twin.

_Keep going_, he heard Co'vek say in his mind. Really, he knew there was no choice but to do that - especially since F'gath seemed to be the only one who knew what he was doing, where they were going. It wasn't until he saw metal through the trees that he realised they were nearly upon their ship. F'gath was typing away at his wristpad, activating the ship and firing up the engines. He lowered the ramp, letting them run right in. He didn't pause, sitting down in the pilot's seat and preparing the ship for takeoff.

He barely waited for the twins to strap themselves down before taking off, leaving a clear trail of burning and blasted trees in the process. So much for subtlety. Within moments, they were in space, and heading away from the blue and green planet, their course set for home. It would take them some time to arrive, and Ci'van dreaded every moment of the trip.

"What was that performance?" F'gath said, finally turning in his seat to face the youngsters. "Why did you hold back?"

"Because.. This.. this was just.. It wasn't -right-, killing that way," Ci'van managed, getting an agreeing nod from his twin.

"This was War. A tiny taste of the real thing," F'gath said, disconnecting his facial mask and taking it off so the boys could see his angry expression. His tusks extended and retracted, a sign of his annoyance. "War isn't pretty. It isn't decent. It certainly isn't right. War means to kill them, before they kill one of your own. In this case, it would be me, or your twin brother. Think about that, before you do not want to kill."

Co'vek looked away, feeling ashamed. He took off his mask though, and a few times, Ci'van was sure he was about to speak, but he kept quiet.

"War is what you wanted, and it is definitely what you'll get. This goes beyond your mother now, beyond revenge. Humanity has become a dangerous liability," F'gath continued, looking from one to the other. "We can not tolerate them spinning out of control. It needs to be handled, and we'll need to be the ones to handle them, regardless of who is backing them up."

He stood up and crossed his arms, now the epitome of how the twins knew their grandfather - a mentor, a general, a Warrior.

"I want your word that you will not fail like this again. Your lives depend on it. Yours and that of your race. You can not afford to be weak, to show compassion. You will kill because you will have to. This will not make either of you Bad Bloods. By definition, the moment you start liking the random killing is when you become a Bad Blood. It will not get that far. I will be there to help, but I need you to be strong. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Co'vek said after a moment, looking back at F'gath finally, before looking at his twin brother.

"Yes," Ci'van echoed a few moments later, shifting uneasily in his seat, then looking up at F'gath. "Yes, I can do that... Will you guide us? Show us how it's done?"

"Didn't I just do that?" F'gath asked with a dry chuckle, earning small smiles from his subjects. "I will teach you what I can in the short time we have. But you will have to teach me in turn. Start by telling me the visions you two have had while I patch Co'vek up, and we'll go from there."


End file.
